Folding box.



PATENTED FEB. 28, 1905.

W H. THOMPSON.

FOLDING BOX.

APPLIUATION FILED JUNE 10. 1903.

lilo. 783,806.

turn drafts Patented February 28, 1905.

l arnnr iliilflfilil WILLIAM lrl. TllrlOlVlPSON, OF MORE lfiiTOl V N N lGlV JERSEY, ASSlf-lNOl-t OF ONE-HALF TO JOHN S. \V. 'lllUMPSON, UF MOltltlSTOWN, NEW

JERSEY.

impolite BOX.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. $83,806, dated February 28, 1905.

Application filed June 10, 1903. Serial No. 160,824.

To all whom, it 'IIMI/Z/ concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM ll. Tlnonrsox, a citizen of the United States, residing at Morristown, county of Morris, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Folding Boxes, fully described and represented in the following specilication and the accompanying drawingaforining a part of the same.

This invention aims to provide an improved folding box, and especially to provide an improved lock for the folded ends or sides of such boxes.

By the present invention a box is provided which is easily set up and knocked down, which is strong and rigid when set up, is of attractive appearance, having its exposed sides and ends unbroken and having no projecting parts on the inside liable to be engaged by the articles packed in the box or to interfere with the use of the box, the blank for which cuts to advantage without waste of material, and which is especially adapted for making a box from comparatively thick or heavy material.

A full understanding of the invention can best be given by a detailed description of a preferred form of box embodying the various features of the invention, and such a description will now be given in connection with the acconn ianying drawings.

in said drawings, Figure l is a plan view of an unfolded blank cut and scored in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a box set up. Fig. 3 is a broken perspective view of one end of abox partly set up.

Referring to the drawings and first to Fig. .1, the blank, which may be formed of paperboard or other suitable sheet material, comprises a bottoinsection a and sides 0/) and c 0, extending from the edges of the bottom section and separated therefrom by score-lines, as usual. Extending from the ends of the sides I) 7) are end flaps (Z (Z and a (a, and extending from the sides cc are flaps ff, adapted to fold inwardly and dowl'iwardl y inside the box. For providing the box with a hinged cover in one piece with the body of the box a cover" section 4/ may beprovided extending from the outer or upper edge of one of the sides 6, this cover-section being of a size and form correspending with the bottom section of the box and preferably being provided with edge tucks 7/. l1. and '2.

One of the flaps (Z (Z is cut to form an upwardly-pointing tongue la, the free end of which is near that edge of the flap which is at the top when the box is set up. The tongue does not extend quite to the top edge of the flap; but the top portion of the flap is left uncut to form a connecting-strh above the upper end of the tongue. The other flap (/1 is formed with an opening m in position to register with the tongue X: when the llaps are brought together to form the end of the box, as shown in Fig. 3, and of a size to permit the tongue Z to be bent illatwise inward to extend through said opening in, and thereby lock the flaps (Z (Z together, as shown in Fig. 3. The opening m does not extend downward to the full depth of the tongue but the flap having the opening m is formed with two cuts m at extending downward from the opening in to form a tongue Z1, which is shorter than the tongue and forms a reinforcing spring or tongue to bear against the tongue ln, as shown in Fi 2 and 3, and thereby strengthen the tongue I: and aid in holding it in position when the box is set up without interfering materially with the flexibility of the tongue 1 but permitting it to be readily bent as required in setting the box up and look a side or end thereof. A more flexible tongue is secured by having the tongue A thus reinforced by the shorter tongue Z/ than if the tol'lgue K1 was of substantially equal length with the tongue Z, and the box is thus better adapted to be made from eompzu'atively thick or heavy material. The opening 11/. preferably does not extend quite to the top edge of the flap (Z; but a comieeting-strip nnis left correspomling to the coimccting-strip It will be seen that by leaving these eonnectingpieces 6 and it above the tongue and opening m, respectively, the upper edges of the fl aps (Z (Z are not weakened, and a much stronger box is secured by leaving the upper edges of the flaps (Z (Z thus uncut than would be secured if the flaps were cut clear through to their upper edges. The flaps e (r are similarly provided, one with a tongue Z: and the other with an opening m and a reinforcing spring-tongue 7r.

Each of the flaps ff is formed with a slit 0 extending preferably substantially horizontally and in position to receive the end of the tongue Z: when the box is set up, as shown in Fig. 2.

To set up the box, the sides 6 b are turned upward and the flaps (Z (Z and the flaps e are turned inward to overlap, as shown in Fig. 3, the flap having the opening m and springtongue Zr being on the inside. The tongue k of the outer flap is then bent flatwise inwardly through the opening 121, as shown in Fig. 3, thereby securely locking the overlapping end flaps together. The sides 0 0 are then bent upwardly against the overlapping end flaps and the flapsffturned over and downward inside the overlapping end flaps, and the ends of the upwardly-projecting tongues are tucked inward through the slits 0 of the flaps f, as shown in Fig. 2, thereby securely locking the sides 0 and the overlapping end flaps together and forming a secure fastening for holding the box rigidly in its set-up position. The action of the s pring-tongue Z1 in supporting the tongue I", while permitting it to be readily inserted in the slit 0, will be understood with the explanation hereinbefore given.

Instead of providing the box with a folding cover extending from the edge of one of the sides 5 the box as shown in full lines may be employed in connection with a similar part of slightly larger size or with any suitable part for forming a telescope-box.

It will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to a box of the exact form or proportions shown, but that the construction shown may be varied as desired according to the form and size of the box and the material of which it is made. \Vhile a single set of locking devices will generally be found sufiicient for forming a secure lock for each of the built-up sides or ends of the box, it will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the use of a single set of such locking devices for locking up a side of the box.

What is claimed is- 1. A box having a wall formed of parts extending from adjacent walls, a locking-tongue formed in one of said parts, an opening in another of said parts through which said tongue is adapted to be bent flatwise and thereby lock said two parts together, a relatively shorter reinforcing-tongue formed in said last-mentioned part for bearing against the lower portion of said locking-tongue, and a locking-flap extending from another of said parts and adapted to fold over and downward against the parts having the tongues and inside the locking-tongue, said flap having a slit through which the end of the locking-tongue is adapted to be tucked inside the locking-flap, substantially as described.

2. A folding box having flaps extending from the ends of opposite sides and adapted to fold against a third side of the box, the one of said flaps'lying next to said third side of the box being formed with an upwardly-pointing locking-tongue and the other of said flaps being formed with an opening through which said tongue may be bent flatwise and having a relatively shorter reinforcing-tongue for hearing against the lower portion of said locking-tongue, a locking-flap extending upwardly from said third side of the box and adapted to turn over and downwardly against said flap having the opening and reinforcing-tongue and inside the locking-tongue and formed with a slit through which the upper end of said tongue is adapted to be tucked inside the locking-flap, substantially as described.

3. A folding box comprisinga bottom portion and sides extending upward from the bottom portion, flaps extending from opposite edges of opposed sides and adapted to fold and overlap against the adjacent sides, one flap of each pair being provided with an upwardlypointing locking-tongue and the other flap of each pair being formed with an opening through which said locking-tongue may be bent flatwise and having a relatively shorter reinforcing-tongue for hearing against the lower portion of said locking-tongue, lockingflaps extending from the tops of the last-mentioned sides adapted to fold over and downward against said overlapping flaps and inside the lockingtongues and formed with slits through which the upper ends of said lockingtongues are adapted to be tucked inside the locking-flaps, substantially as described.

4. A folding box comprising a bottom portion and sides extending upward from the bottom portion, flaps extending from opposite edges of opposed sides and adapted to fold and overlap against the adjacent sides, one flap of each pair being formed with an upwardly-pointing locking-tongue and the other flap of each pair being formed with an opening through which said tongue may be bent flatwise and with a relatively shorterreinforcing-tongue for bearing against the lower portion of said locking-tongue, saidflaps having uncut upper portions, and locking-flaps extending from the tops of the last-mentioned sides adapted to fold over and downward against said overlapping flaps and inside the locking-tongues and formed with slits through which the upper ends of said locking-tongues are adapted to be tucked inside the lockingflaps, substantially as described.

5. A folding box comprising a bottom portion and sides extending upward from the bottom portion, flaps extending from opposite edges of opposed sides and adapted to fold sides adapted to fold over and downward against said overlapping flaps and inside the locking-tongues and formed with slits through which the upper ends of said looking-tongues are adapted to be tucked inside the loel ing- I5 flaps, and a cover extending" from the top edge of oneol said opposed sides having tucks 7/ /1, and 27, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

\VILLIAM H. THOMPSON.

\Vitnesses:

A. L. KENT, T. F. .Knnon. 

